Packing machine



Feb. 12, 1935. w D HAL 1,991,223

PACKING MACHINE FiledvAug a, 1932 e Sheets-Sheet 1 /f/ F 1 207 l /0 I/ 2 [4f 0 N M 1.99

Inventors 2 Willy l edi Gustav mu! en, Heinrich Asmussen, Siegfried Duhse.

Hans Wilde.

Their Attorney.

Feb.12,1935.- LEDI HAL 1,991,223

PACKINGIMACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors Wi I ly, Ledig Gustav mul leT, Heimrich Asmussen Siegfried Duhse,

Hans Wilde b MW Their Attorney.

Feb. 12, 1935. w LEDK; ETAL I I 1,991,223

.PACKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 19-32 6 sheets-sheet 3 Inventors: WlHy Ledi Gustav mu I81, Heinrich Asm ussen', slegfrled Duhse,

HansWilde,

)/ Their Attorney.

Feb. 12, 1935. w. LEDIG ET AL ,99

PACKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Qfried Dull-use. w

In ventors:

Gustav mul ler Hginrich Asmuss MM my r W Th eir Attorney.

Fgb. 12, 1935. w. LEDIG EI'AL PACKING MACHINE Fil'ed Aug.. 8, 19:52

' 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 2 a l 8 7 6 7 J 7 4 32/ 6 e 6 H m m a n .A 9 I L 0 M o 1 n n w 9., z w 1 mmw 6 X 9 n w m I w w .J I w I .1. o u 1 3K a I f l Inventors:

Willy Ledig,

Gustav muller, Heinrich Asrnussen Hans Wilde,

Patented Feb. 12, 1935 I Q UNITED STATES,

PACKING MACHINE Willy mu Berlin-Lichtenrade, Gustav Muller.

Berlin-Steglitz, Heinrich Asmussen, Berlin- Charlottenburg,

Siegfried Duhse, Berlin- Grunewald, and Hans Wilde, Berlin, Germany, minor; to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 8, 1932, Serial No. 627,962

Germany August 17, 1931 3Claims. (01.226-2) Our invention relates to packing machines and more particularly to machines for packing fragile articles such as incandescent lamps. One of the objects of our invention is to provide a machine for cartoning articles which will be fully automatic in operation, including the opening and forming of flat folded cartons, the placing of a liner therein, the insertion of the object to be packed, and the closing up of all of the flaps of the carton. Another object is to provide novel means for receiving and positioning fragile articles such as electric incandescent lamps, which will be delicate and accurate in operation.

According to our invention, cartons are transferred to holding jaws of a rotatable table from a container in which they are stored in a folded position, said cartons being opened during said transfer. During subsequent rotation of the table the bottom flaps of the carton are closed up by mechanism mounted adjacent to the path of travel of said table. Liners are inserted in the cartons by mechanism comprising a suction head which pulls a liner out of a container and supplies it to a pair of rotatable jaws which roll up said liner and then move therewith toward the carton. The article to be packed is then inserted in the carton by a feed mechanism which permits the intermittent ejection of a single article of a group and the top flaps of the carton are closed. v

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the device comprising our invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a cartonsupply mechanism; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a carton; Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of carton selecting mechanism; Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of carton opening mechanism; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of bottom flap closing mechanism; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of mechanism for closing the bottom ear flap and slotted flap and Fig. 8 is a detailed side elevation to a larger scale showing this mechanism in the closed position; Fig.- 9 is a front elevation of. mechanism for securely setting the bottom flaps in a closed position; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a liner supply mechanism and Fig. 11 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a liner squaring mechanism and Fig. 13 is another side elevation of said mechanism in another position; ,Fig. 14 is a plan view of mechanism for feeding the articles to be packed to the cartons and Fig. 15 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 18 is a section through the line 1-1 of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a section through the line 11-11 of Fig. 15; Fig. 1-8 is a front elevation of top flap closing mechanism; Fig. 19 is.

a side elevation of -.a top flap tongue bending mechanism; Fig. isa side elevation showing an elongated shaping strip for partially closing the tongue flap; and Fig. 21 is a side elevation of tongue flap closing mechanism.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, cartons 10 are stored in a folded vertical position on a table 11, being heldbetween a pair of rails 12 which are mounted on vertical supports 13 which are in turn adjustably mounted on pins 14 in the table 11. Said cartons 10 are held between lips 15 (Fig. 4) on the forward edges of the rails 12 and a movable plate 16. Said plate 16 is mounted on a bearing 17 which is slidably mounted on a bar 18 which is mounted in a bracket 19 on the table 11 and in 9. lug 20 on a vertical bearing 21 which ismounted on the table 11.

The plate 16 is held against the stack of cartons 10 by a weight 22 (Fig. 2) which is attached to a string 23 which is also attached to the bearing 17 and runs over a pulley 24mounted on a pin 25 in the bearing 21.

The carton 10 (Fig. 3) comprises two plain top flaps 26, .27, a third top flap 28 having a tongue 29, two plain bottom flaps 30, 31, an ear flap 32 having ears 33 and a slotted flap 34 having slots 35 corresponding to the cars '33.

' The carton selecting mechanism (Fig. 2) comprises a vertically disposed blade 36 mounted on a cross arm 37 which is mounted on avertical shaft 38 passing through the bearing 21. The shaft 38 is lowered by mechanism not shown so that the blade penetrates into the'i'irst of the group of cartons located inside of the rails 12 (Fig. 4) and then said shaft 38 and blade 36 are rotated approximately 60 degrees bringing the carton into position between a pair of jaws 39 (Figs. 1 and 5). Said jaws 39 are mounted on arms 40 which are pivotally mounted on pins 41,

42 in the tablell. An arm 43 havinga slot 44 therein is mounted on the pin 42 and a lever having arms 45, 46 is mounted on the pin 41, the arm having a pin 47 therein which engages the slot 44 in'arm 43. when a carton has beenbrought between the jaws 39 they are drawn together by a spring 48 on the arm 46 until said arm .46 strikes a stop 49, thereby opening the folded carton. As the blade 36 is lowered to select another carton. a second blade 50 mounted on a cross arm 51 which is preferably mounted on the 38 said blade 50 carries a carton from the jaws 39 to a pocket 52 at position A on a rotatable table 53. The table as shown in Fig. 1 has twenty-four shaft 38, is lowered into the opened carton being held in the jaws 39. Upon rotation of the shaft firmly although, if desired, vacuum lines may be' connected to the back walls thereof to more firmly hold said cartons. a

At position B a squaring-off plate56 is mounted on a rod 5'1 which is disposed radially .to the table- 53 and slides in a bearing 58. Said rod 5'1 is connected with the machine drive so that after each indexing motion of said table 53 it moves forward and squares up a carton in the pocket 52.

At position C the bottom'ilap 31 (Fig. 6) is closed by a pressure plate 59 disposed below the pocket 52. Said plate 59 is pivotalLv mounted on spin 60 in a vertically disposedrod 61. Said rod 61 is slidably mounted in a sleeve 62 which carries a collar 63 at its upper end. Said collar 63 rests on a cross arm 64 mounted on a rod 65 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 66. A yoke 6'1 is mounted at the bottom of the rod 61 and straddles the rod 65 and a spring 68 is con-- nected to the bottom of said rod 61 and to the cross arm 64. A link 69 mounted on the plate 59 and collar 63 serves to support said plate. To

fold the flap 31, the rod 65 is moved upward carrymg the plate 59, rod 61 and sleeve 62 therewith. Said plate 59 strikes the flap 31 and folds it in and when the upper part of said plate 59 has reached the lower level of pocket. 52, the yoke 6'1 strikes the bracket 66, restraining the rod 61 from further upward movement, but the rod 65 .with cross arm 64 continues to move up against the pullof the spring 68 thereby raising the collar 63 and link 69 and bringing the plate 59'with the flap 31 up to a horizontal position. The top flap 26 is opened outward to facilitate insertion of the article 'to be packed by the of a .cross bar '10 mounted on a bent rod '11. Said rod '11 is pivotally mounted on a pin '12 in a support '13. Said pin '12 is revolved by an arm '14 which is connected by apin '15 to a reciprocating rod '16.

As the -cart0n moves to position D, the upper flap 2'1 is foldedoutward by an upturned edge '17 of a horizontally disposed segment shaped rail '18 which is located immediately above the pockets 52 and extends over several positions, as shown in Fig. 1. The outwardly opened flap 26 also passesunder the rail '18 which serves'to retain flaps 26 and 2'1 in the opened position. A shorter rail '19disposed below the pockets 52 has a-downwardiyf turned edge which serves to fold up the, bottom flap 30 and guide said flap 30- and flap 31 onto said rail '19. That portion of lower rail '19 extending across the pocket 52 comprises two strips 81 (Figs. 6 and '1). A plunger 82 located below the pocket in position 1) isslidably mounted in a bracket 83 and carries a cross arm 84. A pair of levels 85, 88 are pivotally mounted on a pin 8'1 in the bracket 83and have slots 88, 89 which cooperate with pins 90, 91 on the collar 84. When the plunger 82 is moved up, the levers 85, 86 are brought together. Due to the shape of the slots 88, 89 and the length of the levers 85, 86, the lever 86 is swung in faster than the lever so that a jaw 92 thereon folds in the bottom slotted flap 34 and subsequently a jaw 93 on the lever 85 folds in the ear flap 32. As the plunger 82 continues to advance upward the jaws92, 93 are held in the closed position by the pins 90, 91 which engage the elongated straight portions of the slots 86, 89, and a pair of blades 94 on the upper part of the plunger 82 fold the cars 33 about the law 92, whichacts as a mandrel, and insert said ears in the slots 35 (Fig. 8). The plunger 82 is then lowered to withdraw the jaws 92, 93.

The carton is moved to position E where a plunger 95, located below the pocket 52, reciprocates in a bearing 96. Said plunger 95 carries a pressure plate 9'1 on the upper part thereof on which are located bosses 98. when the plunger 95 is moved upward, said bosses 98 strike the bottom of the carton; thereby completely closing the ears 33 and pressing all of the bottom flaps firmly together.

The carton, having the bottom closed, passes is located a container 99 (Figs. 10, 11) in which corrugated paper liners 100 are stored. Said conposition F and enters position G opposite which tainer 99 is mounted on a. plate 101 which is mounted on a stationary cover plate 102 of the table 53. The liners 100 are held forward in the container by a weighted plate 103 against clips 104 and small rollers 105 at each side and a larger roller 106 in the middle which are mounted on the plate 101. The foremost liner 100 in said container 99 is pulled past the rollers 105 and clips 104 and curved about the center roller 106 by suction heads 10'1- which swing out on levers 108. Said levers 108, which are pivotally mounted on pins 109 and pass through slots 110 in the plate 101 are actuated by a cord 111 and springs 112. One of the ends of the liner 100 is placed between a pair of semi-cylindrical jaws 113, 114 by the suction head 107. The jaw 113 is rigidly mounted in a sleeve 115 comprising the lower part of a shaft 116 which is rotatably mounted in a bracket support 117 mounted on the cover plate 102. The jaw 114 is pivotally mounted on a pin 118 in thesleeve 115 and is held open against the pull of a spring 119 by-a rod 120 mounted on said jaw and located inside of the sleeve 115. Said rod 120 carries a cross pin 121 at the upper end which passes through slots 122 in the sleeve 115 and rests on a collar 123 mounted on a sleeve 124 which is slidably mounted on the sleeve 115. A gear 125 mounted on the upper part of the shaft 116 meshes with a gear 126 mounted on a shaft 127 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 128. The sleeve 124 with collar 123 is held up by an arm 129 of a sleeve 130 which 'is slidably mounted on the bearing 128 and is actuated by a rod 131. Immediately after the end 'of the liner 100 has been inserted between the open jaws 113, 114, the rod 131 is lowered, thereby pulling down the sleeve 130 and collar 123 and sleeve 124. The pin 121 then drops down the slot 122 and the rod 120 is lowered thereby allowing the spring 119 to pull the jaw 114 down against the law 113. The jaws 113, 114 are then rotated by revolving the rod 127 which rotates the gears 126 and 125 and shaft 116 which. carries said jaws on its lower sleeve portion 115. The vacuum in the heads 107 is broken when the jaws have clamped the liner 100 so that said liner is rolled up around said jaws and held there by a cylinder 132 mounted concentrically to said jaws on the plate 101. During further downward movement of the sleeve 124, the law 114 is separated from the jaw 113 by a wedge 133 mounted on said sleeve 124, thereby releasing the liner 100 which is then pushed through a hole 134 in the rail '18 into the carton 10.

No operation is performed at position B. At pomounted on a pin 185 in the bracket is slidably mounted in a sleeve 137.

. ed on the cylinder 155.

sition J the liner 100. (Fig. 12) is definitely located in the bottom of the carton 10 which is supported by a horizontal rail 134' located immediately below the pockets 52 and extends over several of the following positions. The location of the liner is performed by a pressure plate which is mounted on a vertical rod 136 which Said sleeve 137 isslidably mounted in a bracket 138 and is actuated by a bar. 139 which is mounted on a collar 140 on said sleeve 137. The rod 1-36 and sleeve 137 are prevented from turning by a screw 141 which is mounted'in the bracket 138 and engages slots 142 in said rod and sleeve. Said rod 136 and sleeve 137 are resiliently coupled by a spring 143 connected to the collar 140 and a pin 144 on the top of said rod 136. An am 145 on said sleeve 137 carries a pin 146 which engages a slot 147 in a lever 148 pivotally mounted on a pin 149 in the rod 136.

The articles to be packed, incandescent lamps 150, (Fig. 15) are stored at position K in an inclined gravity feed chute 151 which is mounted on a bracket 152 which is mounted on a hearing sleeve 153 supported by a fixed bracket 154. The chute 151 terminates in a vertical cylindrical portion 155 further supported by a bracket 156. As the lamps are released one at a time by mechanism hereinafter described, they drop into said cylindrical portion and come to rest on a plurality of resilient cushioning fingers 157 which are mounted on pins 158 on the cylinder 155 and project through slots 159 in said cylinder. Said fingers are held in by leafsprings 160 mount- The lamp 150 is held upright by a pair of V-shaped fingers 161 which project through slots 162 in the cylinder 155 and grip the neck of said lamp, being held there-.-

against by a spring 163 connecting said fingers.

Said fingers 161 are mounted on arms 161' which are pivotally mounted on a pin 162' in the cylinder 155. The mechanism for inserting the lamp into the carton 10 comprises a tube 164 disposed vertically above the cylinder 155 and having a bellshaped and 165 with a cooperating lever 166 pivotally mounted ona pin 167 in said tube 164.

The lower end of said lever 166 projects into said bell 165 through a slot 168. and is heldtherein by a spring 169 mounted on the upper leg of said lever and on a lug 170 on the sleeve 164. A prong 171 on the upper end of the lever 166 projects through a slot 172 a notch 173 in a bar 174 located inside of said tube 164. A pin 175 on said bar 174 rides in a slot 176 in the tube 164 and said bar. and tube are resiliently connected by a spring 177 mounted on a collar 177' on said tube 164 and on a lug 178 on said bar 174 which projects through a slot 179 in said 'tube. Said tube 164 is mounted on a cross arm 180 which is mounted on a vertically disposed shaft 181which is slidably mounted in the sleeve 153. The cross arm 180 slides over a vertical rod 182 in the bracket 156 to maintain the proper alignment of tube 164. To insert the lamp 150 in the carton 10 the sleeve-164 is lowered by means of the shaft 181, and the bell 165 settles over the base of the lamp 150, the lever 168' bearing against the side of said base and gripping it securely. Immediately thereafter, a wedge shaped head 183 of an arm 184 pivotally 154, is moved down, engaging a pair of rollers 186 on the arms 161' and thereby spreading apart the fingers 161 to release the bulb 150. Said arm 184 is pivoted by a bar 187 which is connected to an arm 188 in the tube 164 into I and folding it inward.

paratively weak springs 160. Just before the lamp reaches the bottom of the carton 10, the

pin 175 on the bar 174 strikes an arm 189 thereby restraining said bar from further downward movement. The bent end 171 of the lever 166 slides, out of the notch 173 on to the bar 174, thereby causing the lower end of said lever 166 to be withdrawn from the bell 165, releasing the base of the lamp 150. In the subsequent upward movement of thetube 164 and bell 165, the finger 171 re-enters the notch 173 to carry the bar 174 along.

. The intermittent feed two cooperating stop arms 190,191 provided with soft pads 192, 193 respectively. The arm is pivotallywmounted on the lever 189 which is mounted on a pin 194 in a bracket 195 mounted on the sleeve 153. The arm 191 is mounted on a lever 196 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 194. The lower end of the lever 196 is held by a spring 197 against a roller 198 (Figs. 12 and 13) on a horizontally disposed rod 199 which is slidabiy mounted in lugs 200 on a bracket 201. When the liner locating mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 13, the stop arm 191 tion, holding back the row of lamps 150 in the chute 151 and a lamp is located in the lower cylindrical portion 155 (Fig. 15) of the chute. As the bell 165 moves down to insert said lamp 150' in the carton 10, the the pin 167, is pivoted downward by a 'spring 202 until a lug 202' thereon strikes a stop screw 203', thereby setting the stop arm 190 in the path mechanism comprises 'is in the down posiarm 189, bearing against 1 of the lamps 150 as shown in Fig. 12. The bar against the stop arm 190. When the sleeve 137.

and rod 136 move up again the arm 191 pivots down again. to the position shown in Fig. 13 while the bell 165 (Fig. 15) moves up, the pin 167 thereon engaging the arm 189 and pulling the stop arm 190 up to allow another bulb to drop into the cylinder 155. In the event there is no liner in the carton in Figs. 12 and 13, the plate 135 will not be stopped but will continue to move down with the sleeve 137 so that the finger 203 will not be pivoted but. will remain in the position shownin Fig. 13. In that case the rod 199 will remain in the position shown in Fig. 13 as will the stop arm 191, so that no lamp will be delivered to the cylinder 155, thereby preventing the packing of a lamp in a carton that has not been supplied with a liner.

No operation is performed at position L. Above position M is located an angular arm 204 (Fig. 18) which is mounted so as to pivot to the right, a cross pin 205 thereon engaging the top fiap 27 As the carton is moved to position N the fiap 26 is folded down by an upwardly projecting end 206 of a rail 207 located above the pockets 52. Above position 0 is located a horizontally disposed stationary blade 208 and a movable blade 209' which slides over saidblade position.

Above position 5. is located mechanism for closing the tongue fiap 28 comprising a knife blade 211 vertically disposed above the wall of the carton opposite to said flap 28 and mounted on a cross arm 212 which is mounted on a vertically bar 213. Said bar 213 is slidably mounted in a sleeve 214. A pressure plate 215 is pivotally mounted on a pin 216 on a lug 217 on the sleeve 214. A roller 218 on the end of'said plate 215 is held against the crow arm 212 by aspring 219 mounted on said plate 215 and pin 220 on the lug 217. As the cross arm 212 is moved down by the bar 213, the blade 211 penetrates into the carton 10 along the back wall thereof, and the plate 215 is pushed down against the flap 28. The tongue 29 slides along the blade 211 into the carton 10, thereby completing the closing up 01 the carton.

Signaling devices which are not shown may be arranged at positions '1, U, V to check the closing of the cartons and bring attention to those which are not properly closed.

The cartons are dislodged from the pockets 52 in position W by a plunger 221 which .is located above said pocket and moves vertically downward. Said cartons drop on to an endless belt 222 by which they are removed.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 01 the United States, is:

1. In a. device of the .class described, an inclined and carry it through said chamber to a. carton disposed adjacent thereto.

2. In a device of the class described. an inclined chute for feeding articl cooperating fingers, means for actuating said fingers to ieed said articles one by one, a chamber at the foot of said chute, resilientlymounted fingers projecting into said chamber adapted to intercept and support said articles, a plurality of grippin fin rs projecting into said chamber adapted to grasp said article to accurately align it therein, a transfer arm,andmeansiormovingsaidtransierarmto grip said article and means for spreading said gripping fingers to release said article to allow said transfer arm to carry it through said chamber to a caiton disposed adjacent thereto.

3. In a device of the class described, an inclined chute for feeding articles, cooperating fingers, means for actuating said fingers to feed said articles one by one, a chamber at the foot 01 said chute, resiliently mounted fingers projecting into said chamber adapted to intercept and support said. articles, a transfer arm located above said chamber, and means for lowering said transfer arm to grip said article and 'carry it through said chamber to a carton disposed therebelow.

wiLLY LEDIG. GUSTAV MULIER. HEINRICH ASMUSSEN. SIEGF'RIED DUHSE. HANS WILDE.

tor moving said transfer arm to grip. d article 

